In a variety of different industries, vehicles may include bulkheads or other physical structures. In some cases, wires, cables, or other types of elongated structures may pass through these bulkheads. Passing wires or cables through bulkheads presents several problems. For example, it is possible to provide double-ended connectors on both sides of the bulkhead, terminate the wire run on both sides of the bulkhead, and use the plugs to splice both wire runs together at the bulkhead via the double-ended connector. However, the connectors and plugs themselves contribute additional cost and weight to the overall vehicle, and also introduce the possibility of electrical signal loss or degradation at the connectors and plugs. When scaled across an entire vehicle (e.g., a large passenger aircraft), these added costs and weight may be considerable, particularly when combined with signal loss concerns.
In other scenarios, different sides of the bulkhead may experience pressure differentials. In the context of aircraft or other airborne vehicles, for example, respective bulkheads may define the passenger and crew cabins, which may be pressurized and de-pressurized as the aircraft ascends and descends. Any connectors or other components passing through these bulkheads are typically designed to be hermetically sealed, to protect against these pressure differentials and any related failures that may lead to vapor loss.